Cristiano Rolando, Queiroz meet Nelson Mandela, give him a Portugal jersey with No. 91 on back

Cristiano Rolando gives Mandela a Portugal jersey

JOHANNESBURG — Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo and coach Carlos Queiroz met with Nelson Mandela and gave him a jersey with the No. 91 on the back.

The Portuguese Football Federation said they met Wednesday at Mandela’s home following “a personal invitation” from the former South African president.

The back of the Portugal jersey had Mandela’s name and the No. 91, his current age. The statement posted on the federation website Thursday gave no further details.

Queiroz is a former coach of South Africa. He guided the 2010 host country to qualification for the 2002 World Cup.

On Thursday, the Nelson Mandela Foundation said it had been “inundated with requests for meetings, and it will be impossible for Mr. Mandela to accede to even a small fraction of these.”

“Mr. Mandela’s diary will remain closed for the duration of the World Cup,” the foundation said, while adding the former president “remains in good health.”

Mandela, who turns 92 on July 18, has largely retired from public life. There has been speculation he would make an appearance at the World Cup opening ceremony Friday, when South Africa plays Mexico. He was not included in a list of dignitaries and important figures who confirmed their attendance, though his former wife Winnie Mandela was included.

“He wants to attend and it will depend on his feeling on that day,” Rich Mkhondo of the local organizing committee said Thursday. “There is an open invitation for him and he will decide tomorrow morning if he attends or not.

“If he doesn’t, we understand, and if he does we will be excited.”